Tyler Wright celebrates winning the Roxy Pro on the Gold Coast.
Sally Fitzgibbons lost a thrilling final of the Roxy Pro on the Gold Coast.
Culburra junior Tyler Wright pulled off one of the waves of the week to beat Gerroa’s world No 2 Sally Fitzgibbons in the final of the Roxy Pro at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast.
In the first event of the 2013 world surfing tour, the South Coast pair fought out a thrilling decider in 3ft-4ft swell.
The title went down to the final wave with 18-year-old Wright sealing victory with a monster 9.2 point ride for a 17.97 to 16.66 triumph.
‘‘It’s huge. Frigging massive actually,’’ Wright said of her victory.
‘‘The world one and two are the hardest girls to beat and just really happy with how the day panned out.
’’Wright’s win was her first Roxy Pro title and is her first tour win since taking out the O’Neill Women’s World Cup in 2010 as a wildcard.
A disappointed Fitzgibbons, competing in her first event final at Snapper Rocks, could only praise Wright for her late heroics.
‘‘She’s a very deserving winner,’’ Fitzgibbons said.
‘‘It was a great battle ... hopefully I can come back bigger and better next year.’’
In her Saturday morning semi-final, Wright - who now lives at Lennox Head - stunned defending Roxy Pro champion Stephanie Gilmore, while Fitzgibbons was too solid for Hawaiian Carissa Moore.
Gilmore led early but Wright finished with her best two scoring waves, an 8 point and 6.2 point ride to swamp the five-time world champion 14.50 points to 12.50 points.
Fitzgibbons, a three time world title runner-up, was always on top against former world champion Moore after posting a 7.5 on her opening wave.
Moore’s highest-scoring wave was just 5.8, with Fitzgibbons leading throughout and finishing the semis with her best wave, a 7.5 effort for a 14.97 to 10.93 win.